Michelle Gilmer, teacher of mathematics and 2011 ABCTE South Carolina Teacher of the Year, will be honored at the South Carolina State Board meeting in Columbia on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m.
ABCTE Teacher of the Year is an annual competition where ABCTE teacher alumni from each state are nominated for the award by their principals and compete for online votes from the education community.
“It has always been my dream to be a math teacher,” said Gilmer, who left a lucrative career in engineering for a new career path in the classroom. “I hope to utilize my work experience by bringing real-world mathematics applications to the classroom.”
“Ms. Gilmer may be newer to the profession but if you saw her teach you would think she has been challenging minds for 15 years,” said Pendleton Principal Heather Gordon after nominating Gilmer for the award. “She has a kind, sincere and comedic personality that enables her to make math exciting to students of all ability levels.”
Gilmer is now one of six finalists competing for the ABCTE National Teacher of the Year award. The national winner will be selected by ABCTE senior staff. Interviews will be led by ABCTE Chief Executive Officer Shawn McCollough and will cover professional development, student achievement and instructional design and delivery. The national winner is scheduled to be announced by winter break 2011 and will be honored at an award ceremony hosted by the US Department of Education.